Heated
by Donna Lynn
Summary: REVISED Max and Alec are trying to determine what to do with female X5's who will go into heat within the city and the subject raises the fact Max hasn't had a heat cycle in over a year, why?


**Heated**

**Author:** Donna Lynn | ThatGal

**Rated:** NC-17 | M _(but will be rated per chapter)_

**Word Count: **1,010

**Content Warning:** Language, violence, sexual content and adult content. The subject of heat cycles and overall instinct of X5 Transgenics specifically.

**Summary:** When a female X5 goes into heat within Terminal City it brings up the subject of what to do when it happens again. Making Max realize she hasn't had a heat in a year, why?

**Author's Note:** I haven't written in years far as a true story and not RP. And also I haven't seen anyone write about heat cycle from Dark Angel like this and the fact everyone including the writers ignored them in season 2 altogether.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of _**DARK ANGEL**_ do not belong to me so do not sue me.

"You're not hearing me Max we don't make accommodations for this we're gonna have big problems."

"Back at Manticore any females in heat were sedated and segregated"

"Yeah, but one time that didn't work…" Alec mumbled a bit under his breath. The memory vivid in his mind but he didn't bother to go into details. A male X5 killed several guards and badly injured several other male X5's trying to get to the female in heat.

Not long after the first couple heats ─ Manticore decided to conduct an experiment. Free the female in heat and release several males and see what happened compared to the incident that the guards were killed. It was brutal ─ the males fought while the female seemed to be in a completely submissive and non-responsive state unless she was engaged by a male. The male who came out of top took the female and she did not resist, but it was almost violent. Manticore scientists deduced it was brought on by the instinct to claim

Female X5's went into heat every 3 months. Usually lasting 48 hours and the symptoms came on them suddenly. They would seek out any male, X5 or ordinary.

For the male X5 sensing a female going into heat he could sense it up to 3 days before due to changes in their pheromone levels. The longer he is exposed the more territorial he becomes. The pheromones trigger a response in the male to protect and claim the female. His only function is to mate with the female till her heat suppresses and her pheromones level out. Only other way to stop the response is to separate them, literal and physical distance.

"Max have you never been around another X5 in heat?" The fellow female X5 who called herself Vee, looking between her and Alec pointedly knowing they had been around one another for a year now. Finding it hard to believe they hadn't had this issue at some point. Hell honestly she thought they had went with it and just kept it a no big deal situation.

The question had Alec thinking as well. He had been around her a year and not once had he sensed her in heat or even close to it. It never occurred to him before right then.

Why?

Max had her own look of _what the fuck_. "No I never have, not even my brothers I escaped with." She looked to Alec, her face pinched in, puzzlement. "I haven't had one since last year...I don't...know why."

"Before or after you were captured by Manticore?" Vee asked.

"Before...I don't get it I'm usually like clock work every 3 months and it would last at least up to 2 nights or days…"

"Trust me Max you haven't even been close to a heat cycle since Manticore." Alec expressed pointedly. Looking to the other female X5 he asked his own possibilities. "Stress could mess with your cycles couldn't it?" Had to be stress. If Max wasn't going into heat that could mean, she might be sick somehow as well.

Vee shrugged. "Maybe, I doubt it though, and I doubt Manticore did anything since the rest of us still have them." Had Manticore found a way to suppress them they would have done it to everyone.

"What about the virus?" Max suddenly realized meeting Alec's gaze. "What if its somehow suppressing my heat?"

Alec squinted in thought. "Why what would be the point. If anything Manticore would want you to go in heat around Logan." No he doubted it was the virus.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't find out why you're not having a heat cycle Max, but the whole point of this conversation was to set up an area in Terminal City for the X5 females that go in heat with a species of transhumans posted who aren't affected." Vee didn't mean to sound insensitive but she didn't want to have to deal with an incident if she didn't have too. They held meetings within the city for everyone every morning to keep everyone up to date.

"Coordinate with Joshua and Dix." Max okayed and Vee was out the door to do just that. Leaving Max and Alec alone in silence.

Max wondered about what was going on with her.

Alec waited till Vee left the room, the loud shut of the door signaling he and Max were alone.

"Don't let it get to you Max, hell, I'm sure it's a blessing not having to deal with it." He was trying to keep her from thinking too hard like she always did in situations like this.

"Yeah...you're probably right." She admitted quietly, turning to face him. "You no about how it works. What's it mean if I don't get them?" She was somewhat solemn.

Alec read into the underlying question and looked down a moment before looking back up to her. "You might not ever get pregnant." It could be a blessing or a nightmare depending how you looked at it.

She huffed out a low, light breath at the information. She never thought about having kids before. But couldn't help but admit it sort of bothered her if she couldn't.

If she had been anyone else Alec would have bolted from the room soon as the conversation started but she was Max. "Hey…" Alec moved around the table to her. Taking her by the shoulders and leaning in enough to look her in the eye. "...I'm sure Carr can do some tests to figure this bitch out alright. Don't let it get you down." He gently pulled her into a hug. Which she surprisingly leaned into.

Closing her eyes she rested her head on his chest. The sound of his strong heart comforting like his arms around her. "Thanks Alec." She thanked softly, her own arms resting between them against him.

He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. Both taking a moment to enjoy the moment before they were eventually pulled away due to some other problem.


End file.
